Fan-blast regulator.



O. ANDERSON. FAN BLAST REGULATOR. APPLICATION mum MAR. 22, 1906.

. Patented J an. 5, 1909.

.HEEHLQ... III M 0. ANDERSON. FAN BLAST REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1906.

908,535. Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

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Q i0 I-ll llllilrll III Iii III Swarm G Roznaqd UNITED STATES PATENT ornrou.

OSCAR ANDERSON, OF PELIOAN RAPIDS, MINNESOTA.

FAN-BLAST REGULATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pelican Rapids, in the county of Ottertail, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fan-Blast Regulators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper' tains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for automatically regulating the blast of air which is caused by such fans as are attached to grain separating machines and the like, and the invention consists in particular in automatic means for raising and lowering the valve blades to open or close the openings in the fan cylinder, and in means for returning the same to their normal position.

Further improvements will be apparent from a consideration of this specification and from the annexed drawings forming a part thereof and in which the same parts are referred to by the same numerals.

In the drawings, Figure 1 and Fig. 2 are respectively a side elevation and a bottom plan view, parts of the casing being broken away in each instance to more clearly show the operating mechanism. Fig. 8 is a detail of the rock shaft carrying the valve blades on its arms and the spring for returning the shaft to its normal position. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the connection between the governor and the rock shaft.

In its practical embodiment, the invention comprises a separator 6 of any conventional type, provided with a fan casing 7, which is disposed transversely thereof and is secured to the bottom wall of the frame of the separator, as shown in Fig. 2, adjacent which casing is a similarly arranged rock shaft 9, carrying a pair of arms 10, each provided at its outer end with an upwardly-extending valve blade 11, the connection between said arms and valve blades being such that the latter may be adjusted thereon by means of a pin and slot connection or in any other preferred manner. The brackets 2, 2, in which the rock shaft is j ournaled are likewise secured to the under face of the bottom wall of the separator.

' The rock-shaft is further provided with a retractile coil-spring 12, one end of which is secured to a pin 14, and the other end 13 Specification oi Letters Patent.

Application filed March 22, 1906.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Serial No. 307,495.

being secured to the bracket 2. Fixed to the shaft 9, is a gear sector 15, having a handle 16 for its adjustment. This rack is in engagement with one tooth of a gear 17, fast on a pivotally held bar 18, one end of which is loosely comiected with the rock shaft, the opposite end of the bar being pivoted to the lower end of a link 21, which is connected to a sleeve 22, slidable upon the shaft of a governor 20. The governor sleeve is held in place and slidable in a guide 23.

The arms 10, 10 are threaded into the sockets 24c, adjustably held upon the shaft 9, by means of the set screws 26. This permits an adjustment of the vertically held blades in a horizontal plane insuring a proper closing of the openings in the ends of the fan casing.

The bar 18, as disclosed in Fig. 3, is provided with an enlarged end through which the shaft 9 extends to pivotally hold this rod on the shaft. The member 17, for convenience is shown as a gear. Now when it is desired to give the valve blades a fine adjustment vertically the operator grasps the handle 16, and pushes or pulls the same, so that the gear sector, which is held to a tooth of the gear 17, by means of the spring 12, will slide out of its engagement permitting the valve blades to be readjusted. This adjusting of the sector is of course only made one tooth at a time, as the spring 12 normally forces the sector into engagement with the gear 17.

In the operation of the machine, the arms 10, which carry the wind-boards, are adjusted to a proper position by means of the segmental rack. When, however, the machine is running at an excessive speed, the arms of the governor will be thrown outwardly and raised by the centrifugal force, carrying up the movable sleeve 22 and with it link 21 and pitman 18, and owing to the engagement between the gear 17 the rack 15 will effect a partial rotation of the rock shaft, which movement of said shaft lowers the arms 10 with their attendant windboards, and thus closes a portion of the openings in the fan casing, whereupon the supply of air thereto will be decreased slightly and the draft proportionately re duced.

The connection between the governor and the fan shaft is not shown, as it is of the construction commonly in use in machines of this character.

It is understood that the arms 10 may be laterally adjusted on the rock shaft 9 by means of hearings or holders 24, the same having at their outer ends set screws 26 by means of which they may be locked in place upon the shaft. The arms 10 are moreover provided with a screw thread 25 for a further adjustment in their holders. The fan is likewise shown journaled upon the shaft 27 in the cylinder 7. The coil spring 12 upon shaft 9 will have the effect of returning the shaft 9 to its original or normal position and in the instance described of raising the arms and valve blades thus increasing the amount of air and consequently the draft.

What is claimed is:

l. The combinatiomin a grain separator, of an open ended fan casing and a horizontal rock-shaft secured to the bottom of the separator in parallel relation with each other, the rock-shaft being provided with a pair of socketed holders; an arm having its inner end fitted in each holder and provided at its opposite end with a vertically-extending valve blade; a segmental rack secured to one end of said rock-shaft; and automatically-operated means engaged with said rack, for turning said rock-shaft in one direction or the other, to raise or lower said valve blade and uncover or cover the openings in said fan casing.

2. The combination, in a grain separator, of an open ended fan casing and a horizontal rock-shaft secured to the bottom of the separator in parallel relation with each other, the rock-shaft being provided with a pair of holders each having a threaded socket formed therein; an arm having a threaded inner end fitted in each socket, and

provided at its outer end with an upwardly extending valve blade; a segmental rack secured to one end of said rock-shaft; a

governor secured to the separator frame and including a movable sleeve; a bar connected with said sleeve and provided with means for engagement with said rack; and a coilspring to normally force said rock shaft into spring pressed engagement with said engaging means.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR ANDERSON. Witnesses:

C. D. HANGER, EDDIE N. HANGER. 

